Radio's Representative becomes go-to guy in Republican Congress

When Greg Walden (R-OR) first entered the US House of Representatives, he was still the owner of a small market Oregon radio group. That has since been spun off, but he says the small-market broadcasting experience, in which you “do it all,” is serving him well among the Republican leaders in the House.

Walden has been extraordinarily busy of late, tapped by prospective Speaker and current House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) to lead a glamour-free committee that will draw up rules of the road for the new Republican majority to follow when they take over the House in January.

According to a Washington Post profile, Walden is highly respected by his colleagues as a conscientious, capable, detail-oriented achiever who works very well with others.

Walden traces his versatility back to his days in radio, which started with stations owned by his family. When he says he’s done just about everything, he isn’t kidding. He started as janitor, handled technical and engineering chores, was an on-air news reporter, and eventually ran the group. He says that just about the only things he hasn’t done is climb the tower and do play-by-play sports.

RBR-TVBR observation: Word on the Hill, reported the The Hill’s Hillicon Valley blog, is that Walden is interested in chairing the House Communications Subcommittee. That would be very good news for broadcasters. The Subcommittee is part of the Energy and Commerce Committee, the leadership of which is fluid at the moment. But when the merry-go-round stops, we would love to see Walden sitting on top of the key subcommittee.